It was a long time coming and a tough decision for the club to make but they have agreed upon one, with the Parramatta Eels announcing Scott Seward as the club’s new CEO.
Seward will officially begin in the role on Wednesday, after an 11-month stint as the Eels General Manager of Membership and Consumer Business.
Since his tenure in that role, the Eels memberships rates have increased exponentially, with the newly appointed CEO keen to continue the rise and increase in not only membership, but across the entire club.
“There is so much upside to this club, and the rise in membership is just one aspect of that,†Seward said.
“But our focus moving forward is not what has been done but what we are doing. There are some great people at this club doing some great things and our mandate from the board is to now turn that into on field success.â€
“We have a responsibility to our Members and fans to deliver long term sustainable success, stability and a club that they can be proud of in the community. That is my focus.â€
Having worked in both the NRL and the AFL in various positions, Seward is well equipped to take on the role, receiving a glowing endorsement from Eels Chairman Steve Sharp.
“Scott is an excellent operator and we have seen that first hand during his time with our club over the last year,†Sharp said.
“We have a lot of confidence that his experience and fresh approach is exactly what this great club needs to take us into the future.â€
In what is perhaps a poisoned chalice with several CEO’s coming and going in recent years, Seward knows the role is tough but it is a challenge he looks forward to.
“But I look at it the other way,” Seward told The ÂSunday Telegraph.
“I look at it as the most exciting job in Australian sport. It’s a terrific opportunity for a great club with such great history and tradition.
“This is a fantastic opportunity with a new CEO and new coach coming in for us to start going back in the right direction.
“My first day is the first day that we start moving forward in my opinion, it’s a new era for the club.”
In what is deemed a long-term project for the club moving forward, Seward wants to ensure the club is sustainable and successful over a long period of time.
“We’re not going to make any outlandish promises because it’s a long-term project here,” Seward said.
“We will get to stage where we are sustainable, successful and not just one year here and there. I want a club that is competing for a premiership, year in and year out.
“I have a very clear responsibility. We will provide our members and fans with a dedicated hardworking team who will make sure we leave it in a better position to what we found it.
“I want to bring respect back to our business, both internally and externally.”
Crucial to any organisation is the players and for Seward, who officially starts Wednesday, he sees it as imperative that he meet with the players to discuss their views and see what their long-term visions are and where he wants to take the club.
“I want them to hear my view and my vision on where I want to take the club and how,” he said.
“I want to hear from them. At the end of the day it’s in my business to give those players every chance of success.
“It’s not my job to tell them how to play rugby league. It’s simple as that.”
As the urgency increases to announce a new coach, Seward says he will not be rushed into the decision.
“No doubt I would like the decision quickly but I also want to make sure we get the right person for the role and that is a person who is going to have success on the field, but is also going to make an impact on our success off the field.
“We’re not going in for a quick-fix, we want the right person,” he said.